Singlespeed & Fixed Gear"I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five.
Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

They're regular ultremos. Very low rolling resistance and very grippy, though I sort of feared big lean angles on a slick tire like this one. They bite into tarmac like no other and wear well. I skidded them once or twice and decided that they were just too expensive to fool around with.

Almost problem free too; one flat in rainy weather with lots of debris on the road and a snake bite on the rear when I hopped a curb and my rear wheel didn't make it. Luckily the tires were on deep v wheels at the time, because I don't think these rims would have escaped unscathed. I have heard very bad things about the R's, but it is also said that Schwalbe has solved the problem.

I recently built up a black Wabi Lightning. It's a nice frame for the price. I built mine as a long distance single-speed/fixed gear. I love my Surly Steamroller, but when I put a rear brake and a freewheel on it, it sucked. The quick handling is great for dodging traffic in the city, but it's twitchy as hell at high speed. The Wabi on the other hand handles just like a normal road bike. It's also a lot lighter than the Steamroller. I would've liked it even better if it had a normal headset, but what the heck. Overall I am pretty happy with mine.

I recently built up a black Wabi Lightning. It's a nice frame for the price. I built mine as a long distance single-speed/fixed gear. I love my Surly Steamroller, but when I put a rear brake and a freewheel on it, it sucked. The quick handling is great for dodging traffic in the city, but it's twitchy as hell at high speed. The Wabi on the other hand handles just like a normal road bike. It's also a lot lighter than the Steamroller. I would've liked it even better if it had a normal headset, but what the heck. Overall I am pretty happy with mine.

I'm probably going to replace the headset, or at the least the top part, so I can lose that conical bit. The performance of the headset is fine, but that one part spoils the looks.[edit] In my opinion.

A little too expensive for a made in Taiwan to our specifications frame. No drop out protectors amplify the feeling of lack of quality in a bike that is priced so high.

The Fuji Track Comp RRP for $925 (buy from a shop and you can expect at least 10% discount). Carbon fork/Alu frame bike with house branded parts, should be a similar feeling from these bikes (on paper) but the Fuji is lighter, has better welds, looks like it was designed much better and (dropouts don't look weird and have steel protectors) , looks pretty awesome and it has a big name brand saddle, not a generic $10 looking one. But comfort is what's important (i know I know, not brand name)

The Fuji does have track geo though, which people are saying they don't want.

I guess if it had a better saddle and had the protectors then it might be worth $800

A little too expensive for a made in Taiwan to our specifications frame. No drop out protectors amplify the feeling of lack of quality in a bike that is priced so high.

The Fuji Track Comp RRP for $925 (buy from a shop and you can expect at least 10% discount). Carbon fork/Alu frame bike with house branded parts, should be a similar feeling from these bikes (on paper) but the Fuji is lighter, has better welds, looks like it was designed much better and (dropouts don't look weird and have steel protectors) , looks pretty awesome and it has a big name brand saddle, not a generic $10 looking one. But comfort is what's important (i know I know, not brand name)

The Fuji does have track geo though, which people are saying they don't want.

I guess if it had a better saddle and had the protectors then it might be worth $800

Normally, I would probably replace whatever saddle came with the bike. Like just about everyone else, we all have our favorites. But the Velo that's on there has minimal padding and just the right amount of flex that it works great for me. If you buy one of these bikes and don't like the saddle, I'll gladly give you $10 for it.

can we get this thread going again? It's been two years. I've already used the google "wabi classic site: bikeforums.net thing and just can't seem too find much about the bikes. So if you ride one and like it or don't like it, would you post here. Need some information about the quality of the spec's now that they've been published.

yea, I'm pretty sure I want the frame but it seems like the components might have changed since 2008. I just want to make sure they're not junk as some people said. It might be better to build it up for slightly more.

it looks nice but WAY overpriced... a $800 fixed bike shouldnt have ANY house brand parts. i bought a reynolds 853 road bike with a carbon fork, full ultegra, and open pros for less than $1000 a few years ago.

not everyone has good things to say about them. I just wanted to know if much has changed since 2009.

not everyone has good things to say about them. I just wanted to know if much has changed since 2009.

i should have noted on there that i had never seen or ridden one. they just seem overpriced. you can get a shimano 105 equipped bmc for $1000. they could be the best prebuilt fixed gear bike on the market. i just dont see where the price justification is.

i should have noted on there that i had never seen or ridden one. they just seem overpriced. you can get a shimano 105 equipped bmc for $1000. they could be the best prebuilt fixed gear bike on the market. i just dont see where the price justification is.

oh okay, got it. Unfortunately, I think the only way to try it is to buy it. I could email Richard and see what's up. I don't live too far from LA, but it'd be my first time riding a fixed gear. I might be wrong but doesn't Surly and Jamis use some in-house components. I noticed the crank on the Wabi is also an andel as is the fixed cog. I don't know much about andel or cranks but the andel on my Cross Check hasn't done me wrong in over 4,000 miles. Can't be that bad. Anyways, thanks for the clarification.

Part of the reason I bought my Steamroller because I'm originally from Minneapolis, where Surly is located. I'd only heard good things from my friends there who ride all of the Surly bikes in ALL weather. I figured if it can hold up there, it can hold it's own in LA.

The only reason I say that is because from people I've talked to out here, Wabi is much like that- except a much smaller company than the corporation that owns Surly. From my understanding they hand build all of their bikes and Richard is a super cool dude who cares about his product. So, like I said in my previous post, though I've never ridden one, from what I've read I think their probably good bikes.

oh okay, got it. Unfortunately, I think the only way to try it is to buy it. I could email Richard and see what's up. I don't live too far from LA, but it'd be my first time riding a fixed gear. I might be wrong but doesn't Surly and Jamis use some in-house components. I noticed the crank on the Wabi is also an andel as is the fixed cog. I don't know much about andel or cranks but the andel on my Cross Check hasn't done me wrong in over 4,000 miles. Can't be that bad. Anyways, thanks for the clarification.

nearly everyone uses house brand parts and many of them are perfectly serviceable. i have talked to two wabi owners and both love them and were very pleased with the parts. keep in mind this bike is basically the same price as a cross check except you dont get a freehub, cassette, shifters, or derailleurs. in exchange it would be nice to see something like a deda bar, stem, and seatpost over things like traditional non branded kalloy parts.

wabi owner richard sounds like a great guy. that alone may justify the price.

nearly everyone uses house brand parts and many of them are perfectly serviceable. i have talked to two wabi owners and both love them and were very pleased with the parts. keep in mind this bike is basically the same price as a cross check except you dont get a freehub, cassette, shifters, or derailleurs. in exchange it would be nice to see something like a deda bar, stem, and seatpost over things like traditional non branded kalloy parts.

wabi owner richard sounds like a great guy. that alone may justify the price.

You must mean the Steamroller, no? Steamroller is $800 while the Wabi Classic is $750. (my Cross Check was $1075)

I need to do some more research on the frame material. I think the Reynolds 725 may be one reason for the high price but I don't understand why some people think it's so expensive. It's in the general ball park as other steel fixed gears by larger companies like Surly, Bianchi, Jamis.

Yea, Richard does seem pretty cool. I like doing business with locals like another Richard at bicyclefixation.

You must mean the Steamroller, no? Steamroller is $800 while the Wabi Classic is $750. (my Cross Check was $1075)

I need to do some more research on the frame material. I think the Reynolds 725 may be one reason for the high price but I don't understand why some people think it's so expensive. It's in the general ball park as other steel fixed gears by larger companies like Surly, Bianchi, Jamis.

Yea, Richard does seem pretty cool. I like doing business with locals like another Richard at bicyclefixation.

ive seen crosschecks sell in the $900 range and these can be bought at shops. wabi requires shipping for all but a select few. the price isnt the same, but comparable.

i think most of the prebuilt fixed gear bikes are priced a little high. before they were discontinued you could get a steel specialized allez for $675

I have a Wabi Lightning and like it a lot. The frames are very light and high quality. One thing to note is that the Wabi's are hightly customizable w/o extra cost for gearing, crank length, stem length, saddle style, handlebar style and width and brake options. The build quality is excellent and the stock wheels are tensioned and trued out of the box. The only subpar components are the tires (Kenda Koncepts). Finally, customer service (Richard Snook) is excellent, and my bike was built and shipped within a day of placing the order. Today I rode my Wabi for about 20 miles, and it has become my favorite street FG since I got it 3 months ago.

I have a Wabi Lightning and like it a lot. The frames are very light and high quality. One thing to note is that the Wabi's are hightly customizable w/o extra cost for gearing, crank length, stem length, saddle style, handlebar style and width and brake options. The build quality is excellent and the stock wheels are tensioned and trued out of the box. The only subpar components are the tires (Kenda Koncepts). Finally, customer service (Richard Snook) is excellent, and my bike was built and shipped within a day of placing the order. Today I rode my Wabi for about 20 miles, and it has become my favorite street FG since I got it 3 months ago.

the rake on my 56cm Cross Check is 44.
The rake on the 55cm Wabi Classic is 45.
The rake on the 53cm Steamroller is 38. That's a big drop. [I'm pretty sure my CC should be a 54, the eTT is abnormally long on the 56]

EDIT: Surly LHT has a rake of 45 and it rides stable as ****. I'm missing something.

Reduced rake = more trail = more stability but reduced agility. Is that right? It's hard to believe that my CC is more responsive than the Steamroller. Do I have something mixed up?

"Less rake = more trail. Trail is the parameter that controls responsiveness and handling properties. More trail gives slower, more stable, less responsive handling. Less trail gives quicker, more "twitchey" handling."

I was looking at getting a Lighting, but noticed they are out of my size online. I emailed Wabi about it and it turns out the Lightning is going to be discontinued, but will be replaced with a lightweight steel frame sometime soon.

bummer. Anyone know of similar frames to the Lighting that are still available? I was really looking forward to a lightweight, road-geometry frame with minimal graphics.

(also, zombiethread.jpg, etc.)

edit- intrigued by the Gravity SwIft2, but I figure the frame is not as good/light, not sure about butting. Would rather not start another BD thread.

I was looking at getting a Lighting, but noticed they are out of my size online. I emailed Wabi about it and it turns out the Lightning is going to be discontinued, but will be replaced with a lightweight steel frame sometime soon.

Wait, what? I JUST ordered my lightning last week. That's pretty odd; it seems as though the lightning is one of their most popular models, plus I think it's a bargain at that price point.